Car-frame.



PATENTBD JAN. 9, 1906.

W. R. McKEEN, JR.

CAR FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1905.

MHHMHPH -iazw EHP H- WI T NESSL' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAR-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed May 29, 1905- Serial No. 262,360.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. MOKEEN, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and Stateof Nebraska, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in (Jar-Frames; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

7 and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car construction.

One of the objects thereof is to provide a practical and efficient frame for use in structures ground without necessitating an excessively low hung car-body.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplifiedin the structure hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of the framework of acar-body. Fig. 2is a similar view showing a slightly-different embodiment. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the entire 7 car.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout all views of the drawings.

As conducing to a better understanding of certain of the several features of my invention it may be noted that I have found that it is often desirable to provide, in connection with a car-body adapted for use with heavy highspeed trucks, a low side entrance readily ac- :cessible from the ground or a platform of moderate height. I have found that if it be attempted to attain this result by means of cutting :the sill transversely and inserting a rdoorframe the former member, and consequently theentire car 4 body, is materially weakened.

This and other defects are obviated and many positive advantages attained in constructions of the nature of that hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a car-frame comprising a heavy sill 1 and a side plate 2 also of heavy construction. These members are connected by the vertical studs or posts 3, preferably formed of channel-iron, as indicated in the drawings.

A portion 4 of the sill l is dropped or depressed, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, this depressed portion being bridged by an upper member 5, secured to the main portion of the sill or formed integral therewith, as

shown in Fig. 2. If a separate upper memberbe used, the same preferably takes against abutments 6, rigidly mounted upon the sill and secured to the upper member, as by rivets, through the flanges thereof, as indicated in the drawings. Auxiliary retaining means are preferably provided in the shape of vertical plates 7, riveted to the sill and-upper member adjacent their points of juncture.

The member 5 in the preferred embodiment comprises upwardly-inclinedportions extending from the sill 1, connected by a horizontal portion 8, which is rigidly connected with the side plate 2, as by a heavy plate 9, as shown in the drawings.

The general relation of this frame to the car is indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

wherein it will be seen that the heavy member 1 constitutes the main side sill of the carframe. The depressed portion 4 with associated parts, moreover, is preferably positioned adjacent the center of the car, although many of the advantages of this construction are attained with these parts otherwise disposed with relation to the car-frame.

There is thus provided what may be termed a split sill, the portions 4 and 5 virtually comprising parts of this member, and the upper portion or branch of the same being rigidly tied to the upper side plate of the car there is thus formed a sill construction which not only does not detract from the strength or stiffness of the frame, but, on the contrary, results in a structure in which these desirable qualities are increased to a marked degree.

Stretched between 'the portion 8 of the member 5 and a corresponding horizontal portion 10 of the member 4 are a pair of studs 11, these parts forming the frame of a door leading within the car.

The stiffness of this 1 door-frame and of the entire structure is further enhanced by means of a pair of angular braces 12, each of which is secured to the adjacent stud 11 and comprises a pair of reversely inclined portions extending away from this part and having their ends rigidly fastened to the members 4 and 5, as shown in the drawings.

In ordinary use the stresses imposed upon the sill 1, which are in general the most severe to which any part of the car-frame is subjected, are transmitted through the branches 1 and 5, these parts on account of the rigid construction shown acting together as a broadened portion of the sill itself. The portion 5, being rigidly connected with the plate 2, as set forth, and lying closely adjacent this part, transmits the stress thereto without a tendency to rack or wrench the car-frame, which might obtain were this stress transmitted through the vertical studs 3 alone. In this manner the upper plate 2 is so strongly tied to the sill 1 at this point as to cause the entire frame to act as a unit to transmit evenly throughout the same all stresses which may be locally applied.

It will thus be seen that in the above illustrative embodiment I have provided a simple, light, and rigid structure which fully accomplishes the several objects of my invention and possesses many advantageous features, some of which have been set forth herein and others of which will be apparent to those familiar with the severe conditions of practical use which this structure is well adapted to withstand. I

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, I intend that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I desire it also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Certain features shown and described herein are shown, described, and claimed in my copending applications, Serial No. 261,058, filed May 18, 1905, and No. 261,267, filed May 19, 1905, and accordingly are not claimed herein.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-frame, in combination, a longitudinal sill provided with a portion depressed below the main portion thereof and a raised portion bridging said depressed portion, and cross members connecting said raised and depressed portions.

2. Inacar-frame, in combination, asill comprising a portion depressed below the main portion and a portion bridging said depressed portion, and a side plate rigidly connected with said bridging portion of said sill.

3. In acar-frame, in combination, a sill comprising a portion depressed below the main portion thereof and a raised portion bridging said depressed portion, a side plate, studs connecting said sill and said side plate, and means rigidly connecting said raised portion of said sill with said side plate.

4. In a car-frame, in combination, asill split longitudinally throughout a portion of its length into an upper and a lower portion, and a door-frame secured between said portions.

5. In a car-frame, in combination, a sill split longitudinally throughout a portion of its length into an upper and a lower portion, a pair of spaced upright members stretched between and connected with said upper and lower portions, and a brace secured to each of said members and having its upper and lower ends connected respectively with said upper and lower portions of said sill.

6. In a car-frame, in combination, an upper member, a lower member, a pair of cross members stretched between said upper and lower members, and braces having their central portions secured to said cross members and having their upper and lower extremities reversely inclined and secured respectively to said upper and lower members.

7. In a car-frame, in combination, a sill having a portion depressed below the main portion thereof and a raised portion bridging said depressed portion, a side plate rigidly connected with said raised portion, spaced cross members stretched between and connected with said raised and depressed portions, and a brace secured to each of said cross members, each of said braces having its upper and lower ends respectively secured to said raised and depressed portions of said sill.

8. In a car-frame, in combination, a sill having a portion depressed below the main portion thereof and a raised portion bridging said depressed portion, a side plate rigidly con nected with said raised portion, spaced cross members stretched between and connected with said raised and depressed portions, a brace secured to each of said cross members, each of said braces having its upper and lower ends respectively secured to said raised and depressed portions, and steps extending within the car-frame from said depressed portion.

9. In a car-frame, in combination, a sill split longitudinally throughout a portion of its length into an upper and a lower portion, said lower portion being depressed below the main portion of said sill, a pair of spaced cross members stretched between and connected with said upper and lower portions and forming a said depressed portion, a side plate, studs connecting said side plate and said sill, a pair of spaced cross members stretched between and connecting said raised and depressed portions of said sill and forming a door-frame, steps leading inwardly from said door-frame, a brace connected with each of said cross members, each of said braces having its upper and lower extremities connected respectively with said raised and dropped portions of said sill, and means rigidly connecting said raised portion with said side plate.

11. In a car-frame, in combination, a sill comprising a portion depressed below the main portion thereof and a raised portion bridging said depressed portion, said raised portion forming with said depressed portion substantially a rhomb, a side plate rigidly connected with said raised portion, and cross members stretched between the central parts of said raised and depressed portions.

.braces connecting each of said cross members with said raised and said depressed portions.

13. In a car-frame, the combination with an upper member, of a lower member divided intermediate its length and having one portion of such division extending upwardly toward said upper member, and the other portion of such division extending downwardly, and a frame arranged between the portions of the divided lower member.

14. In a car-frame, the combination of a sill divided intermediate its length, one portion of such division being dropped below the horizontal plane of the main portion of the sill, and the other portion of such division extending upwardly above the horizontal plane of the main portion of the sill, and a frame interposed between the portions of such division.

15. In a car-frame, the combination of a sill divided intermediate its length, and having the members of such division shaped to constitute substantially a rhomb, and a frame interposed in such division.

16. The combination of a sill divided intermediate its length, the members of such division being spread apart, a door-frame interposed between said members, and braces connecting said door-frame with the sides of said members.

17 In a car-frame, in combination, an upper side plate a sill having a portion thereof raised above the level of the main portion thereof, and means connecting said raised portion with said side plate.

18. In a car-frame, in combination, an upper side plate, a sill having a portion raised above the main portion thereof and rigidly connected with said upper side plate and means connecting the portions of said sill adjacent said raised portion, said last-mentioned means being positioned beneath said raised portion.

19. Inacar-frame, a sillsplitlongitudinally into an upper and a lower portion, said upper portion being raised above the main portion of said sill and rigidly connected with the upper portion of the frame.

20. In a car-frame, in combination, an integral sill split longitudinally throughout a portion of its length into an upper and a lower portion, and a door-frame secured between said portions.

21. In a car-frame, in combination, an up-' 

